Punjab Artisan Gurmeet Kaur Showcases Traditional Phulkari Art At The Kunj In Delhi

Master phulkari artisan Gurmeet Kaur showcased traditional hand-embroidered Punjabi phulkari art at a recent two-week exhibition organized by The Nabha Foundation at The Kunj in Delhi. The exhibition highlighted the personal stories and craftsmanship of women artisans from Punjab, showcasing how the traditional craft has provided them with financial independence.

Kaur, a 26-year-old master artisan from a village near Nabha in Punjab, used her embroidery earnings to fund her Master's degree in political science from Punjabi University, Patiala. Over her 12 years of practicing the craft, her income has also enabled her to purchase a mobile phone and a scooter, gaining her social respect and the opportunity to travel to Delhi for the exhibition.

Now working as a master trainer, Kaur earns up to Rs 15,000 a month, an income comparable to her brother's. She expressed excitement at showcasing Nabha phulkari at The Kunj, noting that the opportunity allowed her to travel outside her conservative village.

The exhibition featured antique baghs, which are densely embroidered wraps or shawls made on khaddar, sourced from artisan families in Punjab. Traditionally gifted to girls as shagun during marriages, these textiles represent historical family stories. According to Vimmi Lekhi of The Nabha Foundation, completing a single bagh takes three months or more, preserving a traditional community bonding practice.

Another artisan, 44-year-old Rajvinder Kaur, who has been embroidering for 15 years, explained that the artisans intentionally preserve minor irregularities in their patterns as a celebration of imperfection. She noted that a single tiny geometric motif can take nearly half an hour of patient work.

Among the items discussed was a personal phulkari that Gurmeet Kaur has been hand-crafting for her own wedding over the last two years. The piece features custom motifs, including lassi glasses, the word "Punjaban" in Gurmukhi script, and a man on the moon hoisting a flag.